Vacuum container



latentecl July 1, 193% warren stares mam AARON GREENLEAF CLOU' GH, OF AYFERS CLIFF, QUEBEC, CANADA VACUUM CONTAINER Application filed April 19,

The invention relates to a vacuum container, as described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form part of the same.

-The invention. consists essentially of the novel features ofconstruction'pointed out broadly and specifically in the claim for novelty followinga description containing an explanation in detail of an acceptable form of the invention.

The objects of the invention are to eliminate the necessity of ice packings in the transportation of ice-cream, milk, cream and other foodstuffs requiring cold or hot storage during the passage; to reduce the weight and consequently facilitate the handling of packages forwarded from urban centers to suburban and country districts or foodstuffs from the country to the cities, and thus insure despatch for ice-cream or such commodities in the summer time; to afford to country residents comfort, easeand luxury, notwithstanding that they may be some distance from their city homes, as by means of these containers all kinds of foodstufis can readily be sent to merchants in the different centers without requiring the use of ice, and furthermore many of the products of the country can readily be packed in these containers and forwarded, no matter what the weather conditions may be and yet retain their sweetness and purity free from contamination; to utilize a well known principle in a new construction, whereby simplicity is assured and the protection of the foodstuff guaranteed through the adoption of common practice for the preservation of the contents; to produce a container that will be well within the reach of every shipper, in so far as the cost of the same is concerned, and which will withstand rough handling without affecting its preservative qualities; and generally to provide a durable and efficient vacuum container.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the container, showing the arrangement of the parts in respect to the vacuum jacket. I

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the container complete.

upper end of the outer metal casing 10,

1923. Serial No. 271,202.;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view" ofthe I container on the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

; Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the outer metal casing of con siderable size, preferably cylindrical in shape, and converging by means of the tapered shoulder 11 to the neck 12,

The numeral 13 indicates'the inner metal casing, spaced from the outer metal casing 10 to form the vacuum chamber 14, completely around the wall and bottom of the can.

The inner metal casing 13 converges at the shoulder 15 to the neck 16 and is joined to the outer casing'lO at the upperend by j the bevelled top 17 closing in the vacuum chamber 14.

The inner metal casing 13 is supported at its lower end on theflanged ring 18, having central position within the outer casing 10.

' The air is withdrawn from the chamber 14through the outlet 20, closed by the plug 21, this outlet being preferably through the bottom of the outer casing 10. i Q

The annular gasket 22 of cork or other resilient material is secured on the bevelled top 17, so that it projects above the extreme and this gasket 22 is compressed bythe containercover23.- I v The cover 23 has the bottom 24, the top 25 and the intermediate wall 27 forming the dead air space 26 and the vacuum chamber- 28 and from the bottom 24 the flange extends downwardly to fit in the neck 16'of the vessel, this flange being bevelled at 29 \to meet thegasket 22, thestraight or vertical portion of the flange beginningat 30 slightly above the straight portion of the neck 16 1 j Y The bottom 24 of the cover is curved downwardly forming a rim beyond the walls of the vessel and engages the top of 199 gasket22 and thus the two walls at the top are brought closely together to form an air tight joint.

The fasteners 33 are arranged one on either side, and each comprises a pivot plate 34 secured to the cover at either side, and a loop 35 pivotally secured to said plate,

and a hasp 36 carrying a hook 37 and fitting over a staple 38, one on either side of the container, said hasp 36 being secured to said staple by the pin 39 or any suitable locking device, such as a padlock.

In this fastener device, the lever or arm 36 is pivotally secured at either side, by the pin 4O, from the plate 41, there being such a plate at either side of the container.

The end of each hasp forms a barrel 42 for the pin 40, while the hasp 36 carrying the hook 37 acts as a lever in securing the closure, consequently when the hasps are loose the hooks may be inserted in the loops 3 5 and by effecting a downward pull the cover is fitted closely into the neck and the hasp closed inwardly on the staples. The hasp is then fastened by pins or by a padlook if desired, thus securely closing in the contents of the vessel 'within a vacuum jacket.

The outercasing 10 is lagged by the wooden jacket 45, which forms the dead air space 46, completely surrounding the casing 10 up to the 'top of the neck 12, this spacing being done by the several spacers 4:

The wall of the wooden acket extends 7 below the bottom 48 of the outer casing and is rigidly secured to the base ring 49, which in turn is held to a spacer 47, and lower extension 50 of the wall of the casing 10, and to the angle ring 51 by the rivets 52.

Thus a very substantial annular base is provided for the container andabove said angle ring the wooden bottom 53 closes in a metal bottom 48 and is securely held by said angle ring 51.

The cover'23 is closed in at. the upper end by the wooden sheathing 54, secured by the angles 55 for lagging said cover, in addition to the deading of the same by the air space 26.

It will be thus seen that a container is provided which is completely deaded or lagged, and at the same time surrounded by a vacuum, therefore when it is securely sealed there is no chance of the outside air reaching the foodstuffs contained therein, and if these foodstuffs happen to be of the ice-cream variety the temperature of that commodity will not change, no matter how long the journey may be, and it is only by opening it to the air that there will be any trouble in that respect. In the same way warm concoctions, such as tea, coffee, cocoa and various beverages may be kept in the warm state that they were packed, without the temperature of the same being in any way reduced during the passage. Similarly meats and other foodstuffs may be sent to country places and kept in good condition, which is a Very important thing, as there are many residents that are not within easy reach of the iceman.

Consequently, the uses of this invention are manifold, especially in the increasing communications between the city and the country in so far as merchandising is concerned.

hat I claim as my lnventlon 1s:-

A container comprising a double walled and bottomed vessel having an air outlet for exhausting the air to form a vacuum jacket between the inner wall flared in a bevel surface at the upper end and an outer wall meeting said bevelled end, a plug closing said outlet, a flanged ring supporting the inner bottom and having slots in the ring wall forming ports in the withdrawal of the air, a gasket on said bevel surface and a cover having a vacuum chamber and a bevelled lower portion engaging the aforesaid bevel surface and a downwardly turned rim portion engaging the outer wall and cooperating with said lower portion in sealing the vacuum jacket after the cover has been clamped into its closed position.

Signed at Montreal, Canada, this 30th day of March, 1928.

' AARON GREENLEAF CLOUGH. 

